Tutelary deity of this specific location stands before us. This is the Shrine of Earth God. It is a humble guardian in Ping Shan. The Shrine of Earth God watches over villagers. Locals also know him as She Kung, Pak Kung, or Fuk Tak Kung. These altars are common in traditional Chinese villages.
She Kung protects villagers from harm. The shrines are simple brick structures. Stones symbolize the god’s presence. Higher status shrines have gable walls. Their design includes wok yee. This resembles handles of a Chinese cooking pan.
Earth God is also known as Tudigong. This translates to Lord of the Land. He is a tutelary deity in Chinese folk religion. Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism also recognize him. He appears as an old man. He has a long beard.
Each Tudigong is tied to a specific area. The Tudigong of one place is not the same as another. They rank low among divinities. Only City Gods are above them. Landlord gods are below.
Sometimes, a helpful person becomes a Tudigong after death. When people move, they say goodbye to their local Tudigong. They then worship the new location’s deity.
Tudigongs have appointed positions like aldermen. Different deities oversee different areas. Houtu is the overlord of all Tudigongs. She also oversees Shan Shen and City Gods worldwide.
Other names for Earth God include Tugong. This means Lord of the Soil. Some call him Tudiye meaning Soil-Ground Father. Dabogong means Great Elder Lord. Commoners call him grandfather. This shows their close relationship.
Tudigongs evolved from the Sheshen belief system. Sheshen are Chinese deities linked to the soil. The character for soil originally meant divinity.
The earliest Sheshen was Gou Long. He was appointed by Zhuanxu. Before City Gods rose to prominence, land worship had a hierarchy. The emperor worshipped the land gods within his command.
Tudigongs became popular in the Ming dynasty. They were grassroots deities. The Hongwu Emperor was reportedly born in a Tudigong shrine. Tudigong is shown as a smiling man with a white beard. He is simply clothed. His wife is the Grandmother of the Village. She looks like a normal old lady.
In the countryside, Tudigong sometimes has a wife. She is called Tudipo. She may be seen as benevolent. Others see her as holding back her husband’s blessings. Another story says Tudipo is a young lady. She was appointed to watch over Tudigong’s blessings. She prevents unnecessary distribution.
Festivals for Tudigong happen on the second day of the second month. Another takes place on the 15th day of the eighth month. The second day is Tudigong’s birthday.
Tudigong temples are common across China. Spirit houses represent a link to Tudigong. Many temples have small shrines with Tudigong’s image. Worshippers seek wealth or health. People traditionally worship him before burials. They thank him for using his land.
During the Cultural Revolution, many shrines were destroyed. But many have been rebuilt.
The Earth God’s image follows certain rules. These rules represent his attributes. The Earth God is generally pictured as a white-haired old man. He is rich in experience. He is generous. He is happy to help others. Sometimes he holds gold bars. He wears clothes embroidered with longevity.
Remember the Shrine of Earth God. Remember his role as a protector. He is a symbol of the deep connection between people and the land.